How It All Goes Down
- Sayuri asks Pumpkin what Hatsumomo said to Dr. Crab.
- It turns out she told Dr. Crab that Sayuri had a secret boyfriend.
- In other words, her "cave had already been explored by someone else's "eel" (20.42).
- Ahem.
- Mameha has Sayuri present her suitors—Nobu and Dr. Crab—with a sweet-rice cake called ekubo, which means she is ready for mizuage.
- When she gives it to Dr. Crab, they assure him that she has never had a boyfriend.
- Mameha says that Hatsumomo was jealous because Sayuri won a prized role in the spring production of Dances of the Old Capital, which is like Kyoto's Best Dance Crew, so she sabotaged Sayuri.
- Sayuri is surprised that Mameha is telling the truth. She will be dancing in the role.